


What If (Inaho Kaizuka Ver.)

by sterlynsilverrose



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-04-30 13:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5165744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sterlynsilverrose/pseuds/sterlynsilverrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if instead of leaving Slaine after shooting him down Inaho goes and rescues him? </p>
<p>This fic was written with that in mind while fleshing out a few more things and diverging from the actual canon timeline. This is a slow burn fic and will eventually end up Mature or Explicit. You have been warned. Also working on this as a part of a fic challenge. </p>
<p>Enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Heaven or Hell

As the plane goes down, Inaho watches it hit the water without remorse. After all the other was an enemy, and while they had cooperated to ensure that the Kataphrakt had been defeated, Bat had become a liability.

However, even liabilities could be useful. 

With that thought in mind, he had landed easily and exited the Sleipnir, quickly descending onto what little shore there was. All around them was the wreckage of the aircraft that belonged to Bat. Surveying the damage, Inaho moved along the broken and smoldering pieces of wreckage until he made it to the edge of the last bits of wreckage. 

_There is a fifty percent chance he survived._

At least that was what Inaho had decided. There was no reason to give him any more of a chance than that. Checking the watch on his wrist, Inaho frowned. He didn’t have that long before either reinforcements from Vers showed up, or for someone to come looking for him. Before then Inaho wanted to be back on the Sleipnir and back to the ship. 

In the water curled up on his side was a young man with blond hair. Inaho knelt by his side quietly using his pointer and middle finger towards the hollow on the others neck. Brushing his fingers there and pressing down he felt the slow throb against them. Blinking once, he drew back and slowly stood up from where he had been kneeling. 

Looking over towards the horizon he waited for several seconds, scouting before he reached down and grabbed one of the blonde’s arms. Leaning over the small pilot slowly wrapped his arm around the others waist and stood. A quiet groan left the other’s lips, and Inaho paused to take a look at his features. 

The other was pale and blonde, and the pallor of his skin was abnormally pale. As Inaho finished visibly checking him over he sighed. 

_High chance of him having internal injuries. The capabilities we have may or may not save him._

\----

Cruhteo paced around the floor of his castle quietly, cane in hand. He let the top of the cane, an ornamental ball tap against the palm of his hand as he walked. No one looked at him, no one breathed or moved too quickly. He was in a foul mood and at best someone would get a tongue lashing, at worst- 

“That trash has disgraced my name.” His voice was eerily calm. 

Some of the soldiers hung back watching him. Normally if Slaine had been there, the young man would have taken the brunt of the other’s mood, but this time the reason for his bad mood and his anger were on in the same. 

Up on the screen a picture of Count Saazbaum expanded. 

“It seems that Slaine shall not be a concern of yours any longer. I just received word that the pilot we sent to trail him landed at the wreckage of the sky carrier he had stolen. He was unable to find the boy’s body.” 

Cruhteo narrowed his eyes setting the end of his cane down on the floor with a hollow thump. “A fitting end for someone who betrayed us.” 

Saazbaum said nothing for several seconds before he smiled once again. “I will contact you again soon with more information if we find anything.” 

Cruhteo nodded quietly, his jaw clenching as the screen went blank once more. 

“A pain in my side until the end.” He muttered as he paced back and forth willing the annoyance and anger to slowly dissipate.

\----

Yuki paced as she waited for Inaho to come back. The other had been taken much too long of a time to make his way back. There was no way he should have been taking _that_ long. Pacing back and forth there was shouting and a rush of people past her as she felt the floor shake underneath her. Turning around, her eyes widened as she moved quickly with everyone else. 

As the cockpit opened Inaho peeked out at the gathering around his mech. 

“Inaho are you okay? You took too long in getting back!” Yuki called up to her younger brother. 

“Yuki-nee. I need some help.” Inaho called down to her. 

Her heart skipped a beat as she stepped closer cupping her hands around her mouth. “Are you injured? Is that why you took so long to come back?” 

Inaho was silent for a moment before he leaned back out of the side of the cockpit. “No. However, the person I picked up is.” 

“Eh?!” Yuki felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she stared up at her little brother. He hadn’t exactly been working with two people inside the Kataphrakt, but then again she had a sinking feeling in her gut. 

“He needs medical attention, and I’ll need help getting him out of here.” Inaho called from up above them. 

Rubbing her temples, Yuki felt a headache starting to creep up the back of her neck and into her head. Turning around towards the group of onlookers, Yuki put her hands on her hips. “You heard him. He has an injured party up there. Get a lift and someone send for the medical team!” 

There was a pause from all the carrier technicians before everyone started to shout to each other and execute the orders given to them. Yuki looked up towards her brother with a small frown. _What did you do Inaho?_

\----

“Ensign Kaizuka.” Captain Magbaredge greeted the young man as he stepped into the war room. Inaho nodded towards her and stepped inside. He had never been one to be intimidated, and at the moment for the second time since they had met the Captain seemed at a loss for words. 

Her sharp gaze cut through him as she tapped her fingers on the map on the table next to her a frown curling its way onto her features. “Is this going to be a repeating pattern. You first brought Princess Asseylum aboard our ship risking the entirety of the crew, and now you have brought a boy whom by the look of his uniform is with the Vers forces.” 

“I brought him back with me because he knew that the princess was alive. He also helped in the fight against the Verisian Kataphrakt. Had we not been assisted by him we would have been killed.” That wasn’t entirely true, but there would have been casualties, at least that much was certain. 

Biting the inside of her cheek Captain Magbaredge quietly surveyed him and turned to one of the officers beside the door. “Take Ensign Kaizuka to the brig. He is to stay there for the evening to think about his actions and their consequences.” 

Inaho didn’t fight as his arm was grabbed. He looked to his sister on the other side of the room as she pursed her lips and turned away from him. He nodded his head to Marito and the others as he was taken outside the door and it shut with a finality. 

Clearing her throat Captain Magbaredge looked over to his sister and then back to the others. “It is better for him to learn that his actions have consequences now then for him to learn it on the battlefield. It doesn’t matter if he is in high school or not, he is part of the military and will not act out on his own. Now, let’s continue our meeting.” 

\----

Slaine twitched his eyes opening slowly as he winced at the harsh fluorescent light above him. His head throbbed with a dull ache in time with his pulse. He felt sluggish and as he went to sit up, a firm hand pressed his shoulder back down onto the bed. 

“You need to rest more. You’re lucky that you are only badly bruised, but sometimes that can be worse than having broken bones.” A gentle voice informed him. Slaine’s eyes snapped open as he sat up and tried to move away from the other. 

Dr. Yagarai watched him quietly as Slaine tried to move from the bed. However, upon trying he was yanked back by the metal cuff on his wrist. He was in enemy territory, that much was certain, but the doctor instead of being alarmed at his movements simply sat and watched him. 

“You should really settle down. You’re on pain medication, and there isn’t much to spare, moving will only enhance your pain.” As if to agree with him, Slaine’s vision blurred as he pressed his free hand to the bed. The room started to spin, and the doctor must have thought it was okay for him to approach because the next thing Slaine felt was warm hands helping him back onto the bed. 

“The handcuff is necessary because we don’t know who you are or why you ended up here. Inaho isn’t where we can talk to him right now, but I’m sure once you’re feeling better the Captain will want to talk with you.” Dr. Yagarai intoned softly as he pulled the covers over him. 

A door opened to his right, causing Slaine to tense up and Dr. Yagarai looked over his shoulder and then back towards Slaine with a small smile. “You really shouldn’t have visitors, but there is someone that wanted to come and see you.” 

The soft click of heels on the floor almost hurt his head too much, but as he tried to focus at the edge of the bed the one person who he thought he wouldn’t see for a very long time came into view. “Princess Asseylum…” 

Her hand came up to the necklace she wore as she moved slowly over to the other side of the bed. “I had a feeling it would be you. I wanted to see you and let you know that you’re safe here.” 

Slaine felt his heart start to beat a little faster in his chest, “But they’re us-” 

“They’re helping me by doing what they can.” Asselyum’s voice was soft, serene and pleasant, just like he remembered it. Something about it made his eyes unfocus, and his head lull back against the pillow. Just like that, he fell back into a deep sleep. The possibility of waking up in hell diminished by the presence of an angel.

“I didn’t realize that seeing you would put him at ease like that. Thank you for stopping by, but he should be out for a while now.” Dr. Yagarai stood up from the small stood he had placed beside the bed as he gently motioned for the Princess to follow up. 

“Slaine is someone that I’ve known for a long time. He isn’t a bad person. I should probably go and try and talk to Captain Magbaredge about him.” Princess Asseylum folded her hands in front of her as she moved towards the door of the infirmary, pausing to look back at the other lying in the bed. 

“That may be a good idea, though she will probably have some things she needs to discuss with him when he’s better and also with Inaho when he’s let out of his time out.” 

“I owe Inaho my gratitude for not leaving him to die.” Princess Asseylum turned back to give the doctor a small smile and a nod before she moved back into the hallway. 

“When Slaine wakes, please tell him I will come sit with him while he recovers.” With that Asseylum quietly moved down the hallway her handmaiden moving quietly behind her.


	2. Common Interests

Lieutenant Marito sat on a cargo box as he stared out at the sky, with a flask in his hand swishing it around slowly. It wasn’t a foreign feeling, but he had been trying to cut back until Dr. Yagarai had given him back the liquor in order to calm his nerves and cut his anxiety. So there he sat, watching the sun go down and the reflection of it bouncing and running away as the Deucalion hummed quietly and moved towards it’s destination.

“Drinking alone again Lieutenant?” The quiet firm voice of Captain Magbaredge cut through the quiet whirr of the technology he had surrounded himself by as she folded her arms over her middle. 

“It’s Doctor’s orders.” He answered with a small tired smile as he pressed the cool flask against his lips tipping his head back. 

“Oh is it?” The words had a sort of humor underlying them that wouldn’t have otherwise been noticeable. It was probably because she was just like her older brother in some respects. The quiet amusement was something that Marito had been familiar with in the lull between the fights they had encountered on the battlefield. 

The thought made his chest tighten and heart pinch as he reached up to rub at his chest as he took a slow breath, “The liquor must have gone down wrong.” 

“I’m sure.” Magbaredge humored him as she leaned against the box beside his own. Even though she had come around more and more, her posture was still stiff, almost forced around him. But, she was trying, and he knew that it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy to forget the way her brother looked up at him, eyes wild and fearful as the fire slowly creeped up towards him. 

_Please. Marito…_

A gasp left his lips as he pressed the palm to his forehead and lifted the canister to his lips once again, drinking away the memory. Well, not so much drinking it away and dulling the pain and pushing down all the ugly feelings that welled up and pushed up his throat ready to spill out of his mouth and into the open air. 

“Lieutenant?” The young Captain turned towards him a frown on her lips, as she watched him. Marito shook his head and stayed silent as his hammering heart continued to run a marathon in his chest. 

Even though he could tell she had many questions to ask, and several things she wanted to say, Marito watched her as she turned away once more giving him a little privacy, just as Humeray would have done in the same situation. 

“Hey, Captain.” Marito swished around the flask and then held it out to her. 

“Trying to get your superior drunk, Marito?” Captain Magbaredge asked softly as she stared at the flask. 

“No, but what could a little medicine hurt?” Marito nudged the flask against her shoulder, and after several moments staring him down, the young woman accepted it bringing the silver bottle to her lips, and tipping her head back quietly. 

\----

Inaho sat down in the chair next to Slaine’s bed, a book in his hand as he quietly read to himself. Slaine glared at the book cover as if the book had in some way been the reason for his imprisonment in the infirmary and not the boy holding the book. Inaho turned to another page once more, and Slaine shifted the handcuff keeping him attached to the bed rattling against the hollow metal frame of the bed. 

The dark haired pilot paused mid page turn to let his eyes move over towards Slaine for a second. Slaine frowned and moved his wrist the links on the cuff knocking against the metal of the bed. 

“When are they going to let me out of here?” Slaine sighed as he let his hand drop back down beside his head. 

“Where are you going to go if you’re not here?” Inaho asked as his eyes went back down to the page, his other hand supporting the spine of the book. 

“To where Princess Asseylum is.” Slaine answered without hesitation. 

“Rejected.” Inaho responded calmly as his eyes scanned over the page. 

“I don’t understand. Why?” Slaine tried to sit up, the handcuff sliding up the pole of the headboard until he leaned back and to the side his arm held up uncomfortably as he shifted to face Inaho a little more. 

“Because you’re a risk. There is a high chance you would try and take Asseylum off of the ship.” Inaho paused to flip to another page once more, the silence settling between them once more. Slaine narrowed his eyes as he rattled his wrist. 

Inaho once again looked up. 

“You don’t know that.” Slaine challenged. 

“I do know that.” Inaho countered as he finally pressed his finger between the pages of his book, shutting it around the digit as he held his place and turned his full attention on Slaine. 

“Prove it.” Slaine urged. 

“You are a soldier and you are an enemy. That’s all the information I need to make that assessment.” Inaho let his eyes wander over the blonde. It had been several days since he had brought him back to the ship and since they had finally been able to move from where the Deucalion had been kept. 

“I’m not an enemy to the Princess.” Slaine bit out through clenched teeth. 

Inaho watched him quietly for several moments. The moments felt as if they were taking hours as the dark haired soldier shrugged his shoulders, “It’s better here than the brig or an interrogation room.” 

Slaine blinked. 

“It was either keep watch over you here, or put you in a cell. I talked with the Captain and Asseylum and we reached this conclusion together.” Inaho explained as he shut the book and laid it on the bed. 

Leaning back, Slaine grimaced. The Princess having to do anything on his behalf didn’t sit right with his conscience. She shouldn’t have had to ask for anything, she shouldn’t have had to compromise or be on the Deucalion at all. She was too innocent to be in a place like this among a war that should have never broken out in the first place. 

Hitting his head against the bars of the headboard behind him, Slaine shut his eyes tightly and turned his face away from him. “You guys are just using her for your own ends.” 

Inaho leaned back on the stood and shrugged, “So what if we are? This is war.” 

Slaine opened his eyes to glare at him before he curled himself around his captured arm and turned his back to the Earth pilot. Inaho didn’t seem to be phased as he sat there, watching the other quietly. 

Standing up Inaho tossed the book onto the bed next to Slaine, the other turning to look over his shoulder at the book, and then back up at Inaho quirking his eyebrow. 

“I’m going to go do a few things. I brought that book so that you could pass the time easier.” Inaho informed him as he turned and moved towards the door. 

“How did you know I’d even want to read?” Slaine asked as he turned over to look at the book. His fingers traced the cover as he picked it up with his free hand. 

“Because you only ever try and get my attention when I try and read.” Inaho murmured as he opened the door to the infirmary and stepped outside sliding the door shut behind him. Slaine didn’t answer and didn’t look up as his fingers wandered over the thick cover of the book reverently. 

\-----

Inaho wandered down the hall as he listened to the idle chatter of the officers and other military personnel as he walked. 

“Ah! Inaho!” The familiar voice of his childhood friend came from behind him. 

Inaho paused and turned towards her nodding. For once she wasn’t with Nina or Rayet, and as she approached her cheeks flushed and her eyes widened just a little. “I heard you were just let back onto duty today.” 

“Yes, the Captain thought it would be better for me to take a few days to learn the consequences of my choices.” Inaho shrugged, and Inko stared at him. He had been confined to the brig for a day and then suspended away from the Kataphrakts for four more. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Inko bumped her shoulder to his as they started to walk down the corridor together. 

“She has me taking a shift to watch the prisoner.” 

Inko’s fingers reached out and wrapped into the sleeve of his uniform as she frowned and looked over at him. Inaho seemed to be calm, but then that was always the case. “You’ve been through a lot these past couple of weeks.” 

“No more than anyone else.” Inaho reminded her softly as his hand reached up to cover her own. Her heart leapt in her chest to her throat as she felt her face heat up. Inaho squeezed her hand and let his own drop, knowing better than to try and remove the other’s vice grip from the fabric of his shirt. 

She was worried, and he had worried her. Inaho was conscious of how worried Inko tended to get when it came to him. He had seen it first hand when Yuki had decided they should go to the beach when they were younger. She had worried so much that her own parents had scolded the Kaizuka siblings before inviting them to their restaurant for dinner. 

“No, you’re wrong. You’ve done a lot more than anyone else Inaho.” It was true. Had Inaho not done several of the things he had, then Inko, Yuki and the others could have wound up dead. 

“You shouldn’t worry so much, you’ll get wrinkles.” Inaho reached up to press the palm of his hand to the crown of her head ruffling her hair slightly, causing her to finally let go and smack at his hand. 

“Hey!” 

Inaho gave her a small ghost of a smile. For anyone else it probably didn’t look that way, but to Inko who had spent her whole childhood with him she could tell the minute gestures he made. That’s why her heart raced and why her cheeks heated up. Even if he didn’t understand, she understood herself what those things meant. 

“Have you eaten yet?” Inako asked suddenly, the words slipping out of her mouth easily. It was almost like being back home and not in the war or on a ship destined to go to the cold Russian base they had decided to navigate and rendezvous at. 

“No.” Inaho answered simply as he continued their easy walk down the hallway. 

“Want to? The other girls already ate and I was just going to grab something quick.” Inko asked with a small smile. 

“Sure.” Inaho affirmed as they took the hall to the left heading towards the mess hall together in almost silent companionship.


	3. Wishful Thinking

Inaho sat at one of the few tables in the mess hall area of the Deucalion as he picked at the rations that had been put onto the plate. It wasn’t exactly the best food being that most of it had been transferred from the previous ship onto the Deucalion before they had taken to the skies with the Aldnoah technology used by Asseylum. 

He had been content enough to swallow down the canned food in silence, but as usual that didn’t last long as Calm plopped down in the chair across from his. 

“This food isn’t the best, and I get they’re trying with what we have. It doesn’t mean I have to like it!” Hunching over his food Calm quietly pushed around the corn, it was yellow and creamy so that was probably what it was, around the small plate. 

“The human body can last three weeks without food.” Inaho answered seriously as he took a bite of the mystery meat on his plate. 

Calm blinked, and sighed with a small fond smile. “You would say something like that.” 

Inaho looked up from his plate as he shrugged, “We are a few days from Novosibirsk. When we get there the food will most likely improve a fraction. 

Calm scoffed nearly dropping his spoon into the mass on his plate in surprise, “Only a fraction?” 

“It’s a military base.” Inaho tasted the yellow food on his plate, definitely corn. 

“Yeah, an established military base.” Calm pointed out as he pointed his fork at Inaho. 

Instead of answering him, Inaho used his knife to cut up the green beans on his plate as he bit into a small piece. Too much salt. 

“Well, anyway, we will get to get off this ship. It’s a little weird don’t you think? We’re using the aldnoah technology that Vers uses to get around.” Calm switched topics as took another bite of the corn. 

“It was either that or be captured, or killed.” Inaho stopped eating as he thought about how many people had been killed up until now. They had been able to push forward and minimize casualties because they had been smart enough to exploit their enemies weaknesses. One major flaw had been that they had was they had assumed that Asseylum had perished in the terrorist attack. 

However, they had her and a way to be able to move the Deucalion so they had been able to make a break and avoid capture and death. After all, wars seldom had room for live prisoners. 

“Yeah, that’s not depressing.” Calm muttered as he stabbed at the green beans with a little more gusto with a grimace. 

“Instead of talking about this depressing stuff, lets talk about something more interesting.” Calm sighed as he dropped his utensils onto the half eaten plate, pushing it to the side. Inaho didn’t look up as he quietly speared a few more green beans bringing them to his mouth. 

“What would that be?” Inaho asked with a soft sigh. His stomach was starting to rebel against the overly salty bean so he went back to quietly working on eating the corn. 

Looking to the left, and then slowly over to the right, Calm leaned halfway over the table to Inaho, his voice barely above a whisper, “Girls.” 

“Girls.” Inaho parroted as he turned his passive gaze to his blonde friend. 

“Yes, _girls_.” Calm confirmed. 

“Why?” 

Calm shrugged, “Because we are young men who should be thinking about girls. It’s a normal thing to do at our age.” 

“Is it?” Inaho hummed as he took another bite of the meat, before abandoning the rest of his plate and pushing it to the side. There were not tests, no homework, and really nothing else to do until something happened and they were sent racing back towards the hangar for Inaho to pilot and Calm to help start the support of the pilots and machines. 

“Yeah, we should be talking about them. How soft they are, how beautiful they are, and other things.” Calm chuckled as he sighed wistfully. Inaho watched him as he shrugged his shoulders, slowly grabbing his trey sliding away from the table.” 

“Hey! Wait.” Calm called after him as he stood up grabbing his own trey. 

“I’ve never really had an interest to be honest.” Inaho answered as they cleaned their trays off and put them in their designated spot. 

“You aren’t interested in how delicate they are, how soft their skin is, or how good they smell. It’s just-“ Calm sighed as he smiled grimly and shook his head as he searched for the words. 

“Nice.” 

Inaho moved out of the mess hall and down the hall towards their shared room. “I’ve never really noticed.” 

“How? You’ve been friends with Inko for a long time haven’t you? She’s a girl.” Calm protested as he jogged to catch up, slowing down only when he was in step with Inaho. 

“Of course she’s a girl.” Inaho answered as they moved to their room. Hitting the button on the side of the panel he moved in, Calm moving after as Inaho settled down on the bottom bunk. The padding was thin, uncompromising and uncomfortable. War wasn’t supposed to be comfortable though Inaho supposed as he leaned back against the wall. 

“You’ve never thought of her like that? Have you?” Calm’s voice turned incredulous as he crashed on the bunk next to Inaho with a wince. 

“Like what?” Inaho asked quietly. 

“Like someone you could spend your life with after all of this.” Calm waved his hand around the room. It didn’t take a genius for Inaho to understand what he meant by that, but why bring it up? There really wasn’t a need. 

“This conversation has no real function or point. Inko is my childhood friend. Thinking about things like this only serve as a distraction.” Inaho shut his eyes tipping his head back against the wall behind him. 

Calm chuckled shaking his head, “I feel bad for Inko.” 

Inaho opened his right eye turning to look at Calm, “Why?” 

Holding up both of his hands, Calm smiled ruefully, “If you don’t know, then I’m not going to tell you.” 

Sliding off of Inaho’s bunk, Calm shook his head. For someone so smart, Inaho could be _very_ dumb. 

———

Asseylum sat next to the infirmary bed that Slaine was handcuffed to. Eddelrittuo stood by the door, respectfully out of the way as the princess smiled and touched the cover of the book sitting next to Slaine on the bed. 

Slaine watched as her hand traced the gold lettering as she picked up the book and daintily turned one of the worn pages. Looking up at him, her eyes shone brightly in the dim light, “Inaho-san left this with you?” 

“Yes, he said I needed something to entertain myself.” Slaine smiled as he shifted himself up a little more to a respectful distance. He was a prisoner, but here the princess roamed free to her hearts content. Nothing could have made him happier than seeing her well and healthy. Even through everything she had remained strong. She was amazing. 

Her smile wavered for a split second before she shut the cover of the book placing it back on the bed. “I’m sorry that this is necessary Slaine. I’ve tried to talk to the others but they think it’s too much of a risk.” 

“They are right.” Slaine nodded as he looked back down to the book. 

“But, what if I wanted to stay here? Would you stay with me? You wouldn’t have a reason to fight Inaho-san and the others on the ship would you?” Asseylum pressed her hands into her lap.

“Nothing is that simple I’m afraid.” Slaine murmured as he reached out covering his hand with her own and squeezing. 

“Then try and explain it to me, like you explained the sky.” Asseylum requested. He could never see her as ordering anything. 

“It’s not that simple.” Slaine responded again. His heart pinched in his chest as Asseylum bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes. He wanted to say yes, and make things easier, but he couldn’t in good conscience. Not when Inaho and the Earth Military were going to use her to their own ends. Even if she knew she was being used, she didn’t deserve that. 

“I’m sorry Slaine. I’m being selfish again. I don’t understand your reasons, but thank you.” Asseylum said, her voice wavering a little before she sat back up and cleared her throat. 

Slaine felt his cheeks heat up as she reached out for the book again, seamlessly drawing his attention from the darker topic they had been speaking on. She leaned forward eyes gleaming with a curiosity as she squared her shoulders forward, “So, Slaine tell me, why do you think Inaho left you a book with Earth Fairytales?” 

“I’m not sure, but it’s not what I normally would read.” Slaine admitted as he reached out for the book with his free hand as he opened the cover. The book was thick, and there more than three hundred stories in the tome. 

“But, he did say that he wanted to give you something to entertain yourself, right?” Asseylum smiled as she watched Slaine’s eyes wander down the dark lettering tattooing the entire pages as she watched his brow crease. 

“Kaizuka does very little without putting thought behind it.” Slaine murmured as he stared hard at the pages. 

“That’s true. He’s very deliberate with the way he does things, or at least that’s what I’ve been told by everyone I’ve talked to.” Asseylum laughed as she shook her head. 

Slaine felt the careful smile on his face loosen up into a real one as he looked up at her. “Have you seen the way he looks at everyone, it’s like a dead fish.” 

Asseylum gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as she leaned back and giggled, “Slaine, Inaho-san is definitely not a dead fish. He’s just very hard to read, but his heart always seems to be in the right place.” 

Slaine shrugged, “I don’t like him.” 

Asseylum shook her head and smiled slightly, “I think that I wouldn’t like someone that kept me locked to a bed either. One day, I hope that you two will be able to be friends.” 

“I doubt that will ever happen. He’s an enemy to you and I, we’re only here because we have to be.” Slaine shook his head. Asseylum shook her head at him and tapped a finger against her lips. 

“Princess, it’s almost time for dinner to be over.” Eddelrittuo called out from the door. Asseylum stood up and smiled as she nodded her head to Slaine, who nodded back. 

“I will come later if Inaho-san isn’t here.” Asseylum promised as she moved out the door. Slaine lifted his uncuffed hand as she moved out the door. Eddelrittuo pursed her lips sending a sharp stare in his direction as she tipped her nose up and moved out the door behind her charge, shutting the door firmly behind herself. 

Slaine sighed as he shook his head slowly and let the smile drop from his features. Looking at his cuffed hand, he sighed and sagged back against the bars of the headboard as he let his fingers again absently draw over the cover. 

He knew that look. It was the look that he had been given countless times when he had been with Cruhteo and even on Verse. _You’re not worthy._

Pulling up his legs towards his chest, Slaine sighed scooping up the book as he balanced it on his knees and quietly turned to where he had left off. “I know that. No one needs to tell me.” 

It was true, Slaine couldn’t be a true friend to the princess, no matter how much he wanted to do so. It was all wishful thinking. 

———

Inaho moved down the hallway back towards the infirmary. Calm had said some things that while they hadn’t bothered Inaho, for some reason they had stuck with him. He had dissected them and quietly tucked them away in a corner of his brain to think over when he had time. 

“Ah! Inaho!” Inaho heard his name called out from behind him. Inaho turned to look over his shoulder spotting Inko with Nina and Rayet. All three girls were walking down the corridor, Nina latched onto Inko’s arm and Rayet walking calmly beside them. 

Detaching herself from her blond friend Inako bridged the gap between everyone as she smiled and put her hands on her hips. “Did you eat? Mess hall just closed for the night.” 

“Yes. I ate earlier.” The conversation wasn’t exactly exciting, but it was a conversation that sparked that small piece of information at the back of his mind. 

Quietly Inaho studied Inko, she seemed the same, she looked healthy, but what could Calm have been talking about? Instead of wracking his brain he watched as Inko’s lips moved, and he followed the curve of her neck, down to her shoulder which disappeared beneath the fabric of her uniform. 

“Inaho!” Inko pressed as she reached out and shook his arm. He felt her hand on his skin and noticed that Calm had been right, her hands were a lot softer, though they were probably starting to callous and become rough from piloting. 

“Were you listening?” Inko frowned and Inaho blinked. 

Nina giggled, “It’s no use when he’s like that Inko, even you should know that.” 

Rayet watched him with calm eyes as Inaho looked back to Inko and she sighed shaking her head, “I asked if you were going to visit that prisoner you brought along?” 

“Slaine.” Inaho supplied helpfully. 

“Slaine.” Inko amended as she let his arm go, Inaho let his arm fall back to his side as he watched the three girls. Inko turned and looked toward Nina and Rayet and then back to Inaho. 

“Maybe later we call all sit together and talk.” It was an invite, one that Inko had to know he wouldn’t take up, but she had offered nonetheless. 

“You should ask Calm.” Inaho answered as he noticed the brief sullen glance on her face before she stood up a little straighter and plastered a smile on her face. 

“You’re right. I will, see you later Inaho!” Inaho nodded and moved down the hall and to the infirmary shutting the door behind him. Inko sighed dejectedly as her shoulders slumped as Inaho left view. 

Nina stepped forward throwing her arm around Inko’s shoulders nuzzling her face against her shoulder, “Down Inko is cute, but I’d rather see smiling Inko, she is way cuter!” 

“H-hey! I’m cute no matter what.” Inko protested as she leaned back against the other. Rayet stared watching the others goof around before her eyes landed on the infirmary door narrowing for a moment before Inko turned to her. 

“Come on Rayet, let’s go take our baths!”


	4. Storm

Captain Magbaredge sat in her chair hands clasped on top of her desk as she stared at Inaho Kaizuka. The other stared back calmly from the other side of the desk, the princess of the Vers kingdom beside him, and behind them a handcuffed Slaine Troyard. “I asked you two here along with the prisoner in order to figure out exactly what we are going to do with him now that his injuries have healed sufficiently for him to leave the infirmary.” 

Asseylum’s eyes widened as she turned to stare at Inaho, who stood beside her as calm as usual. Even in this situation he didn’t really have much of a reaction. When he didn’t say anything, Asseylum stepped up. “Can you release him? I promise he won’t do anything rash.” 

Slaine winced. Hadn’t they already had this conversation already? 

Inaho let his eyes flick over to Asseylum as Magbaredge’s attention went to her. Her hands tightened around each other as she regarded the princess, “You situation is very different Princess Asseylum. You are a non-combatant and we are also escorting you to the Military Base in Russia so that you can stop the war. If we made exceptions for all our enemies we would lose.” 

“But there shouldn’t be a war to begin with.” Asseylum clenched her fist pressing it to the middle of her chest as she took a step forward. 

“Whether or not there should or shouldn’t be war it doesn’t stop us from having one on our hands.” Leaning back in her chair, the Captain shut her eyes for a moment as she sighed. Opening them she shifted her gaze to Inaho. 

“Warrant Officer Kaizuka and I met and she told me that you might have had a reason to save this enemy pilot. Is that true?” 

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Inaho replied as he turned to look over his shoulder at Slaine briefly before looking back at Magbaredge. He really didn’t have any feelings one way or another. However, he noticed how helpless the princess next to him looked. 

Captain Magbaredge sighed once more, “It’s already dangerous with the whole entire crew knowing that we have Princess Asseylum here, and now we have a Vers prisoner as well. Some of these teenagers and officers lost their families in that attack. You and your friends barely escaped.” 

“Had the enemy intercepted and taken Slaine first he would have been confined or worse. He would be seen as a traitor in their eyes. Also, he knew that Asseylum was alive, so it was not worth the risk.” Inaho reasoned quietly as he stood there. 

Slaine shifted behind them uncomfortably. It was true, had Cruhteo caught up with him he would have been beaten within an inch of his life and killed after they had extracted what they could from him. He stared hard at the back of Inaho’s hand as Captain Magbaredge watched him from the front. 

_He thought this through. I guess that’s not surprising._

“That doesn’t tell me anything.” The Captain was losing patience with him. 

“We could release him and keep him confined to a room or to certain parts of the ship minus the bridge.” Inaho offered quietly. 

Slaine blinked. What? What had just happened. 

Asseylum turned sharply to look over at Inaho, cheeks flushed and a small smile on her lips as her hands curled into the white dress she wore. “You think it would be all right Inaho?” 

Inaho shrugged, “It wouldn’t be a bad thing. It’s not like he would want to risk your life by leaving the Deucalion right now. There is no way he would want to open you up to attacks to the people who tried to carry out the assassination. He doesn’t know anyone he can trust.” 

Inaho shot a glance back to Slaine, “Do you?” 

Slaine’s fingers curled into fists. The other was right. There was nothing he could do right now. The Princess’s safety and security came first and foremost. Even being perfectly capable of fighting off the ship, where would they go from there? Who could they trust from Vers? These were all questions he had been scrabbling to find the answers to. 

As much as he hated to admit it, he was stuck. “Even though it pains me to admit this, you’re right.” 

Magbaredge sighed, “It’s too much of a risk. I’ll have to keep him in the brig until I’ve thought about whether or not we can afford to have him wandering around either with supervision or on his own.” 

———

Cruhteo stood on the platform in his Landing Castle as he stared up at Saazbaum as he blinked onto the screen. “It has been a while since our last conversation.” 

“Yes, I have some news that I take no joy in delivering to you.” Cruhteo spoke calmly, hand firmly on the head of his cane as he looked up at the others video feed. His fingers tightened a fraction as he watched the other Count’s grimly smiling face, though at the moment it looked more like a grimace. 

“Do you?” Cruhteo suspected the other probably already knew why he was getting in touch with him. 

“I lost contact with the pilot I sent out to check for that traitor. It seems like he was killed in action, but there were others that confirmed something very interesting came from Shinawara. It is something that at first I wasn’t sure was actually true, but I’ve had several confirmations come back.” 

“And?” Saazbaum demanded. 

“There was a ship that is traveling towards the stronghold for the enemy base that they have in Russia. Our sources have confirmed that it’s the Deucalion.” Cruhteo finished tipping his chin up as he stared at Saazbaum. 

The elder man’s eyes widened a fraction, before his face became a hard mask that was quickly wiped away with the small smile that played on his lips, “I see. That is interesting information indeed.” 

When he had said that he hadn’t taken any joy in delivering the news, he genuinely hadn’t. He had been filled with disgust at the lengths that the Terrans had gone to in order to try and get the upper hand. To take the technology that they had no business touching and using it for themselves. 

“I think we should send out a team to take down the ship and destroy it. It seems like the only proper thing we can do, unless you want the ship for yourself. It was the Countess’s Kataphrakt after all.” Cruhteo suggested as he shifted his stance. 

Saazbaum grimaced again at the mention of his former fiance. How long had it been since he had last thought of her or of the events of Heaven’s Fall?

But, something caught his attention about the information that Cruhteo had just delivered. 

_Did they remove the Aldnoah drive? There is no way they could move the ship in any form if they hadn’t._

“I will give you my answer later. For now, I wish to be alone.” 

With that Saazbaum turned off the feed cutting himself off from the other. Stepping off the platform, Saazbaum moved out of the reach of communications for his landing castle as he paced quietly. There were parts of this puzzle that weren’t exactly lining up. 

There was a chance that the Terrans had removed the Aldnoah drive, but it was a chance that he couldn’t take. Motioning to one of the soldiers, he turned and lifted up his head, eyes narrowing. “Please inform Count Cruhteo that we will be engaging with Deucalion and that we will request back up if necessary.” 

There were just some chances he was not willing to take. If the war was to continue and the resources secured, then they would have to destroy the Deucalion. 

———

Rage. Absolute helplessness. Resignation. 

All of these things crashed down upon Rayet as she stood in the shower letting the lukewarm water wash over her body. It may has well been cold, because she couldn’t feel the temperature of it. The only thing that she could feel was the water pelting her body from the shower head as she stood there. 

From the beginning Asseylum had been there on the ship. She had been talking to her, eating with her and she had been right next to the reason her father and the others had been killed. Rage, disbelief and despair mingled throughout her body as she stood there under the weight of the pelting water. 

It was as if she was present and not at the same time, just breathing, mind racing a thousand miles a minute as she stood stock still. It wasn’t until she heard the talking behind her as someone entered the showers. At first it was muffled as if she were under water. She didn’t care enough to listen, until she heard a squeak and the running feet. 

The voice, while she didn’t quite register the words, belonged to Eddelrittuo. Where she was that meant that Princess was not far behind. Shutting off the water she stood and listened for the tell tale hiss of the water starting back up as she waited. The water sputtered to work in a cubicle a few down from hers, and almost as if in a trance she allowed herself to move from her own and towards that other one. 

Her heart pounded in her ears as her vision waved and she stumbled on the damp tile floor. Slowly she continued forward as she reached the cubicle shoving the curtain aside. There was Princess Asseylum naked under the water in front of her. 

Her vision flickered and went black. 

Before Rayet realized pain shot through her hands as she flexed them coming back to herself. Shaking her head slightly, her hands ached and tingled as she stood there shivering from the damp air in the shower room her hands before her trembling. Taking a few gulps of air, she let her eyes blink a few times as they came back into focus. Her head throbbed as she tried to get her breathing to lessen. 

However, as soon as her eyes fell on the body in the floor before her, Rayet’s blood ran cold and her body started to shake as she took a few steps back. There at her feet, was the prone form of the princess that she had just been looking at not forty five seconds before. Another step out of the shower and she turned on her heel grabbing a towel tugging it around her body as she moved. 

_What have I done?_

———

True to his description once upon a time, Inaho had definitely been right about the brig. It was a lot less hospitable than the infirmary. Even though he had been moved there, in the small room was a bed and he had been allowed to keep the book that Inaho had given to him. He didn’t blame them for keeping him here. 

_At least they didn’t keep my hands cuffed._

Slaine had taken to reading some of the stories out of the large book that Inaho had left for him, grimacing at the way some of the tales were dark and twisted. He had never heard of any of them, however he had a feeling that Inaho had thought he would appreciate the darkness within the pages. 

This was simply not something he would have read on his own. Nonetheless he found himself going through story after story. Reading the stories and thinking on the tales they represented. Some had good endings, but more often than not they ended with a grim sort of satisfaction. He appreciated the frankness in the lines of writing. 

Just as the blond had settled down to read once more the ship jerked beneath him, and the lights flickered. Sitting up away from the wall, Slaine looked to the door as he heard people running in the corridor outside. There was another jerk and a shudder as the lights turned off and he was knocked to the left against the wall as he felt the Deucalion lurch and dive. “What? What’s going on?” 

As he forced himself away from the wall there was a huge impact against something, rattling him and tossing Slaine off his feet and onto his side as the bedding slid off the bunk and onto him. One more jerk and the groan of protest from the ship before everything went silent. 

Everything was too silent. A buzz in his ears was the only sound before he heard the pounding of feet in the corridor again and he pushed himself off the floor moving to the door. While there was no way for him to get out still, there was a small window with bars which he reached up grabbing and pushing his face between two of them. “What’s going on? Anyone!” 

A crew member racing past stopped, and looked at him before turning back around. Slaine gritted his teeth, “Please someone tell me what’s going on? Are we under attack?” 

“No! Something’s happened to the Vers Princess! The ship stopped moving.” 

Slaine recoiled from the bars as if he had been physically struck. His head started to spin as he reached up to grab at the bars again. “Let me out! Please. I need to see her!” 

However, the crew member that had told him that had already disappeared and there was only silence once again. Setting his jaw Slaine started to kick the door rattling his hands against the bars as he struggled against the steel door. “PLEASE! I need to see Princess Asseylum!” 

She had been controlling the ship. If something had happened to her the only way that the ship would have stopped running was- 

Shaking his head, Slaine moved himself away from the door before ramming up against it to try and get the door to budge. Nothing. He tried twice more before he heard his shoulder pop and an immense pain started up in his left arm. He winced grabbing his arm and bracing it against his side sinking to his knees in the middle of the cell. 

“Please. Anyone. Please take me to her.” 

Silence was his only answer.


	5. In the Beginning

Slaine is sighs softly as he sits on a chair to the left of the pristine white bed. He hadn’t been too antsy when he had been in the same bed, but now sitting beside it seemed more nerve wracking, especially since Princess Asseylum was the one sleeping under the thin covers. Her face was pale, her lips pursed and brow furrowed making Slaine’s heart pinch in his chest. 

Reaching out gently to smooth her bangs off her forehead, the Terran sighed again. 

The door to the medical room slid open causing him to tense up and throw a glare at whoever decided to come in, however the glare melted in intensity as his eyes landed on Inaho. The pilot nodded to him and moved to grab a chair and pull it up over to the opposite side of the bed. 

Eddelrittuo had taken a few moments to go grab food, it must have been pure necessity that had let her to allow Slaine to stay in the company of her beloved princess. Or it was probably because she knew he was a soldier and could protect the blonde in the bed. 

_Something you already failed to do._

Slaine set his jaw firmly as Inaho settled down in the chair and opened a book he had brought, paying no real attention to Slaine as he quietly held vigil on the other side of the bed. Slaine watched the other, tracing his features as Inaho’s eyes roamed over the page of the book he held in his hands. The even and unaffected way that Inaho sat there got on his nerves, grating and plucking at it as if he was there on purpose when everyone else had shied away after the incident. 

No one had really given him any information, but that was to be expected. Inaho looked up from his book and straight into his eyes. Slaine narrowed his and frowned at the other. Inaho placed his book on the side table next to the bed and stared calmly back at him, “How is your shoulder?” 

A small throb ran through his shoulder at the mention as he reached up to rub at the top of it. “It’s fine.” 

“Dr. Yagarai told me that you dislocated it from throwing your body against the door.” Inaho leaned back in his chair speaking softly. Slaine winced as he looked down to the sleeping Princess. The only indication that something had happened was the bandages carefully wrapped around her throat. 

“It’s fine.” Slaine repeated a little more firmly as he rolled his shoulder and winced. It had been easy enough for the doctor to pop it back into place. The soreness wasn’t exactly hurting him either. 

“I had a meeting with the Captain before I came here. She wanted to re-evaluate your case and make sure you weren’t a threat. With Dr. Yagarai’s testimony about your shoulder you’ve been cleared to stay out of the brig.” Inaho informed the other. Slaine stared at Inaho hard as he looked down to the Princess, his hand pressing down onto the top of the bed. 

“That’s generous.” Slaine muttered, though he shouldn’t have felt grateful, he couldn’t help but feel a little gratitude. 

“If you are willing to dislocate your shoulder to get to her side, then you’ll be able to protect her when we can’t spare the personnel or if something happens and there isn’t a proper detail.” Slaine pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, shaking his head slowly. Of course it was something like that. 

“Are you not satisfied?” Inaho raised an eyebrow as he asked the other. 

“I’m not satisfied that she’s here in this situation at all. I’m even less satisfied that she’s friends with you.” Slaine gritted out through clenched teeth. 

“I see. That might make things complicated since you and I will be rooming together.” Inaho sat forward and reached out to grab the book he had laid down. Asseylum shifted to her side towards Slaine making a soft noise. 

“If that’s all you had to say, then you should probably go.” Slaine sighed feeling tired himself all of the sudden. Even when the other was as calm as a cucumber, it wore Slaine out more than had the other been more emotive. Probably because of the way he acted, but that wasn’t the important thing to remember here. 

“I brought you this book. It’s a little different than the other one.” Inaho moved around the bed and held it out to Slaine. Curiosity bloomed in him diffusing the annoyance as he stared at the other’s hand. 

Inaho waited for a few moments before putting the book on the edge of the bed away from Asseylum. “It’s a sci-fi book this time. The other one was to take your mind off your imprisonment.” 

_So that’s what it was._

Slaine watched the other move back towards the door and sliding it open he noticed Eddelrittuo waiting patiently. He watched her waiting for her to turn her nose up at him or for the fear that normally stayed on her features when she was away from the princess and a Terran had been beside her. He wasn't disappointed as she averted her eyes from Inaho stepping back a pace to let him through.

He regarded her with the same quiet consideration before stepping out of the way letting her come back in. Her eyes turned to him, and any trace of that gentleness she had shared with the enemy pilot was gone as she watched him. 

Reaching for the book he stood taking her silent cue. While he didn’t have to leave, it probably would be best to at least move outside and take his chair there to watch over her. He didn’t have to be right at her side after all. Grabbing the chair with his sore arm he moved towards the door. 

———

“Officer Kaizuka. What a pleasant surprise.” Dr. Yagarai smiled as the older Kaizuka sibling moved into the makeshift office. Looking around Yuki winced, and then shook her head with a slight smile. 

“Sorry my brother has caused you to have to relocate your practice.” 

Yagarai chuckled and motioned for her to come closer. She still had on that arm brace, and he had meant to check into it earlier, but instead of making apologies he took her wrist gently in his right arm, and her elbow in the left, “It’s okay. It seems like room has been occupied a lot lately anyway by people who need it.” 

First there had been a few scrapes, bruises and smashed fingers on the mechanics crew, then there had been Slaine for a while, and now the Princess of Vers. “Maybe too occupied now that I think about it.” 

Yuki winced as the doctor guided her arm out to straighten it, and then slowly to bend a few times. The arm brace she wore that allowed her to move didn’t stop the pain from throbbing through her shoulder and down her spine. Her body ached and it made her more tired than it probably should. 

Nodding to himself, he gently pushed her arm up towards the side of her head causing her to wince and grit her teeth. There it was. Slowly easing her arm down Dr. Yagarai frowned and pressed the appendage against her stomach. “I still much rather would have you in a cast but-“ 

“But that’s not possible.” Yuki finished as she shook her head. 

“You do have to look after the younger pilots after all. That would be near impossible to do if you had a cast on your arm.” Dr. Yagarai agreed. If only Marito could pilot, but the other couldn’t without slowly dealing with his PTSD in his own way. There were a lot of things he still wanted to try, but being on the run from Vers and trying to make it to the Russian base meant limited time and supplies to work with. 

It limited him in so many ways, but thankfully none in a way that had caused any major harm yet. 

“Speaking of watching the younger pilots, you must be having a tough time with your little brother.” Dr. Yagarai had heard all the rumors and had even been called into a meeting because the younger pilot had requested him to testify. 

Yuki smiled slightly as she shook her head, “He has been looking after everyone even better than I could hope to. In each fight we’ve been able to limit casualties because of his actions.” 

Dr. Yagarai smiled and shook his head as he turned to grab one of the bottles of water he had sitting on the counter. Turning he offered it to the other, who took it quietly, “That may be so. But if you weren’t here he might have a hard time due to his demeanor. I’m sure you have to smooth over things a lot where he is concerned.” 

With the lack of the other emoting it could potentially be a problem with the crew and the officers on board. Yuki took a drink from the bottle of water and sighed gently, “I know it sounds funny but if you really look at Inaho you can tell exactly what he’s thinking.” 

“Oh really?” Dr. Yagarai chuckled as he shook his head picking up a bottle of water himself. 

“Yes. It’s about having to pick up on his cues and also on his eyes. When I was younger we lost both our parents during the war and Heaven’s Fall. However, Inaho just stayed by my side and we both did what we could.” Yuki leaned her hip against the wall beside her. 

“I had to learn how to read him and it wasn’t easy, but Inaho has his own way of showing affection. For each person it can be really different, so everyone around him has to watch and just figure it out for themselves.” Pressing the bottle to her lips as she took a few more gulps of the water. 

Dr. Yagarai placed his bottle on the ground next to his chair as he thought for a second. “His own way of showing affection, huh? Do you think that his lack of expression is due to losing your parents in the war?” 

Yuki paused in mid-drink and Dr. Yagarai held up his hands, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” 

Pulling the bottle away from her lips, she sighed softly and looked down as she shifted the bottle from one hand to the other slowly. “I don’t know. I want to say yes, but Inaho is special and I don’t know if that was because of our situation, or if it was just because he was going to be like that from the start. But, maybe had he been like that our parents would have known how to take care of him better.” 

Dr. Yagarai winced, “Sorry to make you think about something like that.” 

Yuki smiled, though it came off a little strained, “Don’t be. It’s kinder than some of the others have talked about Inaho. I appreciate that you are so nice about it.” 

“Well of course. I’m a Doctor first and foremost, but I also can’t ignore that he puts his life on the line just like you and the other pilots do. It would be in bad taste to be rude to the one that protects you.” Yuki smiled and shook her head. 

“I’ve taken up a lot of your time today already thank you for stopping by to let me check up on you.” Dr. Yagarai stood, hands going to the pockets of his coat. Yuki stood up from the wall and nodded as she raised her good arm with the water bottle in her hand. 

“Thanks Doctor. I’ll stop by again soon.”   
———

Cruhteo quietly waited as Saazbaum was led to the main control room of the landing castle. It had been a long time since he had a visit from another count. Quietly he watched as the elder man stepped in escorted by guards walking easily as if he owned the place. “Count Saazbaum, it is a pleasure to have you here.” 

Saazbaum smiled, though the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. Even though they were supposed to be friends, Cruhteo knew that the other didn’t hold him in that close of regard. It was just the way of their system and the honor that bound him to help the other out. After all, favors never went unpaid between counts and who knew when that would come in handy. 

“Yes, thank you for indulging my selfish desire to hunt down the Deucalion myself. I will feel at ease once the ship has either been captured or completely dismantled.” Saazbaum moved to stand beside him as he waited for the other soldiers to disperse and go to their own stations. 

Cruhteo took a few moments before he turned back to him and then motioned to one of the soldiers waiting at the back of the room. The soldier moved up a few pages in his hands. “Tell us of the situation right now and the status of the Deucalion.” 

The young soldier stood up a little straighter as he cleared his throat. Saazbaum watched him with shrewd eyes. It didn’t take a genius to understand the fear and militant structure that kept Cruhteo’s castle working. 

“The Deucalion is heading for Russia and has made considerable distance. However, some of the pilots observing the situation noted an anomaly in the operations of the ship.” The young military office paused, and Cruhteo’s eyes narrowed on him as the young man took in a deep breath to continue. 

“The anomaly was when the ship for whatever reason decided to stop moving and crashed into the ground for several minutes. Afterward the ship started up and returned to its course.” Saazbaum let the words drone over him as he held his breath mind working over things. 

There could be no doubt. She was on the ship. He had to do what he could to stop her from reaching the Russian base. Cruhteo narrowed his eyes as he watched the other and then he motioned for the young man to leave. A sigh of relief left the young soldier as he turned and stepped out of the way quickly. 

“What do you think it means since the ship crashed?” The question was loaded. Cruhteo already knew the answer, he wasn’t a dumb man by any means. 

“I think it means that someone with the blood to control the Aldnoah drive is on the ship.” Saazbaum answered evenly as he turned towards the other. 

“If that is true, then we must inform the Emperor to the information we have.” Cruhteo turned moving towards the communication panel. 

“Do you think that is wise? He already thinks she’s dead, and the stress of having his granddaughter captured by the Terrans would do him more harm than good.” Saazbaum offered the other stepping up to put his hand on the other’s arm to keep him in place. 

Cruhteo regarded him for a moment before continuing towards the panel. “Either way it is something we must do. The war is going on because it was assumed she was dead. If she is a prisoner we must negotiate to take her back and get her home to Vers. This is the proper way to do things.” 

“I’m sorry to hear you feel that way. I was hoping to not have to do this.” A shot rang out and a white hot pain pushed through his shoulder causing Cruhteo to stumble forward. It was a warning shot one that had gone through his shoulder. 

Pivoting around Cruhteo narrowed his eyes his hand coming up to clutch at his aching shoulder. “Are you mad? What do you think you’re doing?!” 

“I’m prolonging the war. I don’t expect you to understand, but your part in all of this is over.” Saazbaum leveled the pistol at him pointing it at his chest from where he stood. The soldiers in the room stayed frozen as Cruhteo narrowed his eyes at them. 

“What do you think you’re doing? Take him into custody!” 

No one moved. The room was silent as Saazbaum smiled at him ruefully. “I admire your strength and the way you command your soldiers through absolute obedience obtained by fear. However, you forgot the fundamental way of gaining loyalty. Having a person’s trust works wonders.” 

Cruhteo narrowed his eyes standing up straight unflinchingly, his arm dropping to his side. “It’s your win. Finish it.” 

Two shots were fired, and the only sound was the cane hitting the ground as Cruhteo’s body dropped onto the middle of the floor. Saazbaum turned handing the pistol to the young red headed soldier next to him. 

“Get his body properly cleaned up and stored. At the end of this we can at least return him to his son and his family. Right now we need to catch up to the Deucalion and the princess and emit a jamming signal so she will not be able to reach home with a transmission.” Saazbaum ordered as the men snapped into action.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a long working gift to a friend of mine named Ren. Without her I would not have dissected the show and would have just moved onto something else. Ren, I hope you enjoy this girly. Also, if you like it please comment or kudos to make my day!


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